alexander



(.No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 2. I

T. W. ALEXANDER. SOAP SLABBING AND CUTTING MACHINE.

No.- 567,438. Patented Sept. 8, 1896 flaw/7a.? ZZZ/7751575? fivuenzbrrlay.

(No Model.) 1 iisheetsshet s.

T. W. ALEXANDER.

SOAP SLABBINGAND. UUITING MACHINE.v

No. 567,438. Patented Sept.'8, 1896.

(No Mom. 6 Shets-Sheet 4.

T. W'-.'.';--A LE-XANDER. SOAP sLABBINGA-ND CUTTING MAGHINE. No.567,438, Patented Sept. 8; 1896.

(No Model.) A 6 sheets shee t;

T. W. ALEXANDER. SOAP SLABBING AND CUTTING MACHINE.

,No. 567,438. Patented Sept. 8, 1896.

(Nb Model.) e shgetssheet e,

' T. W. ALEXANDER; v

SOAP SLABBING AND CUTTING MAGEINE.

No. 567,438. Patented Sept 8', 1896.

. fiw/enfan UNITED STATES- PATENT @FFIGE.

THEOPHILUSAV. ALEXANDER, OF BURLINGTON, lOlVA.

SOAP SLABBING AND-CUTTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 567,438, datedSeptember 8, 1896.

Application filed April 13, 1896- Be it known that I, THEOPHILUS W. AL-EXANDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Burlington, in thecounty of Des Moines and State of Iowa, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Soap Slabbing and Cutting Machines; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in soap slabbing and cuttingmachines designed to cut the block of soap into slabs, then into bars,then into cakes, and finally move the cakes onto a drying-rack, whichcan easily be removed with the cakes and deposited into a drying-room.

The object that I have in view is to provide simple devices under thedirect control of the attendant (one or more) by which the severaloperations of slabbing, cutting, and

.inoving the soap through the machine and to the detachable rack can beaccomplished without undue efforton the part of the attendant.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the sizeof the slabs, bars, and cakes of soap may be varied as desired; also toprovide means for removing dirt and refuse which may adhere to the blockof soap; also to provide adjustable guides, which properly direct theslabs and cakes of soap through the machine; also to provide means forsteadily and securely holding the cutter-wire frames in position, whileat the same time said holding means may be adjusted easily to permit theremoval of the said frames for the purpose of adjusting the cutter-wirestherein, so as to vary the size of the slabs, bars, and cakes.

To the accomplishment of these ends my invention consists in the novelcombination of devices and in the construction and arrangement of parts,which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

To enable others to understand my invention, I have illustrated thepreferred embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, formingapar'gpf this specification, and in whicha slabs of appropriatethickness.

Serial No. 587,385. (No model.)

Figure 1 is a plan view of a soap slabbing and cutting machine embodyingmy invention; Fig. 2 is an elevation looking at one end of the machinein the direction indicated by the arrow X in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal sectional view on the plane indicated by the dotted line 3 3of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional elevation on the planeindicated by the dotted line i 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a verticalsectional elevation at right angles to Fig. 4 and on the plane indicatedby the dotted line 5 5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail view ofthetransversely-movable pusherhead that operates to move the slab on thefirst table. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the slab-cutting gate and thedirt-scraper. Fig. 8 is a detail view of one of the retainers forholding a cutter-gate in the main frame.

Like letters of reference denote corresponding-parts in all the figuresof the drawings.

In my improved machine a block of soap is run or carried up on asuitable portable platform to the first cutter-gate A, and by suitableappliances this block is drawn or forced through this gate A and therebycut into The slabbed block, as it passes through and is out by the gateA, is deposited on an intermittentlyoperated elevator B, having suitableappliances whereby it may be raised at will to present the slabs of soapto the level of the first table 0. a Each slab from the block of soapisforced from the elevator B by means of a transversely-movable pusherD, and as the slab is pushed off the elevator it passes through thesecond cutter-gate E, situated between the elevator B and the firsttable 0, whereby the vertical wires in the gate operate to sever theslab into bars of appropriate width. After the soap is deposited in barform on the first table 0 the longi tudinally-movable pusher-head F isbrought into play, said pusher-head F being guided .and operated to movein a path at right angles to the path traversed by the lirst'pusher D,

and this second pusher F forces the soap from the first table 0 throughthe third cutter-gate G and onto the second table H, the wires insaidthird gate operating to cut the bars of soap into cakes of appropriatelength. At the end of the second receiving-table II is arranged aremovable rack upon which the cakes of soap attached to the opposite endof the slide-bar CF, and is coiled around the shaft D in the oppositedirection to the ends of the cable d*.

The operating-shaft D for the pusher, D is journaled in suitablebearings on the upright part of the frame J, and it extends above thesecond gate E, one end of said shaft D having a gear 61 which mesheswith a pinion d on the hand-shaft d journaled in a suitable bracket andprovided with a crank for its operation by hand. It will be seen thatwhen the shaft D is turned in one direction the cable (2 will be coiledthereon to draw the slide-bar d and the pusher D toward the gate E andthe table 0, the cable d being uncoiled from the shaft during thisoperation; but when the shaft D is turned in the reverse direction thecable d will be uncoiled from the shaft and the cable (Z will be coiledthereon, so as to move the slide-bar d in a direction to carry thepusher D away from the gate E. The head d of this transverselymovablepusher D is provided with a face- -block N, which is removably attachedto the head d by the clamps n, which engage with the face-block and withthe head. The exposed face or side of this face-block is provided with agroove or recess n, which, when the pusher is moved close up to thecuttergate E, is adapted to receive the cutter-wire in said gate,whereby the pusher D may be adjusted to such an extent as to project theface-block N through the cutter-gate E and thus force the slab or barsof .soap entirely through the gate E, so that the bars of soap, whenoperated on by the longitudinally-movable pusher G, may pass along thetable 0 without interference from the cutter-gate E. As thenumber ofwires in the cutter-gate may be varied, Icontemplatejprovidingfaceblocks N with. different numbers of grooves orrecesses therein to correspond to the number of cutter-Wires used in thegate E, and these face-blocks may be used interchangeably with the headd of the pusher D. The removal of one face-block and substitution ofother face-blocks therefor is easily effected of the table 0, to adaptthe pusher D toshove the topmost slab of soap on the elevator off thesame, through the gate E, and onto the table G.

The cutter-gate 7E consists of a suitable frame 2 and the verticalcutter wire or wires 6. The top and bottom bars of this gateframe areprovided with longitudinal slots 9 to receive the ends of thecutter-wires e and theeyebolts E, bywhich the cutter-wires are held inplace. There may be any number of vertical cutter-wires 6 used in thegate-frame e, and they are arranged parallel to each otherand spaced atsuitable distances apart width as the soap is forced through the gate Eby the action of the pusher D. Said cutter-gate E is fitted in a recess6 cut or formed in the bar a of the frame J, so thatthe bottom rail ofsaid gate-frame is flush with the in the seat (2 and by the employmentof the retainers O O. The retainer 0 consists, preferably, of the longslotted shank 0 and the angular foot 0'. The shanks ofthe retainers areapplied against cross-bars of the frame J above the gate E, and they areheld in place adj ustably by means of the clampingscrews 0, which passthrough the slots 0 and are embedded in cross-bars of the frame J. Theseretainers are arranged so that their angular feet embrace and engagewiththe upper rail of the vertically-wired gate E, and the gate is thusheld in place at its lower side by the seat e and at its upper side bythe retainers O. The retainers may be lifted to free the feet 0 from theframe of the gate, and said gate may then be lifted out of its seat a inthe machine for the purpose of having easy access to the gate-frame, sothat the cutter-wires 6 may be adjusted in the frame, as desired.

The tables 0 and H are arranged in line with each other through thelength of the ma chine, and top surfaces of the two tables are flush oron a level, so that the soap may easily pass fromthe table O'to thetable H. Between the two tables 0 H is the third cuttergate G, which isfitted or seated in a recess G, formed transversely in the tables, andwhich recess divides the table 0 from the table H. This recess G forms aseat for the lower rail of the cutter-gate G, and said rail of the gatelies substantially flush with top faces of the two tables C H. Thecutter gate G is arranged in a vertical position across the tables, andit occupies a position at right angles to the gates A E. The third orfinal cutter-gate G comprises a frame 9 and the vertical cutter-wires9', said frame having its topand bottom bars slotted longitudinally, asat g to receive the ends of the cutter-wires g and the eyebolts 9 bywhich the cutterwires are adj ustably and detachably fastened in theframe 9 for the purpose of cutting the bars of soap into cakes ofappropriate length. The cutter-gate Gis held in position by fitting thelower rail thereof in the seat G and by engaging-the angular feet 19 ofthe adjustable retainers P with the top rail of said gateframe. Theretainers P for the gate G are similar to the retainers O for the gate Ein that said retainers P have slotted shanks p, which are adjustablyfastened to the upright part of the frame J by screws or fasteners,which permit the retainers P to be liftedout to out the soap slab intobars'of appropriate of engagement with the gate-frame, thus pro IIOviding for the ready'removal of the gate G from the machine for thepurpose of adjusting the cutter-wires in the frame, as may be desired.

The pusher F is arranged to travel lengthwise of the table 0 toward andfrom the cutter-gate G. To bring the pusher F close down to the tableand enable it to properly move the soap bars up to the gate G, thepusherhead f is fitted against the top of the table G and the operativedevices for moving the pusher are arranged below the tables 0 II. Thepusher-head is carried by an arm f, which is fastened to a slide-bar farranged below the tables 0 II and extending lengthwise of the same, andto enable the pusherhead and its carrying-arm f to travel along thetable C a longitudinal slot f is cut or produced in the table 0, whichslot receives the arm f as the pusher-head is moved back and forth alongthe table. The slide-bar f for the pusher is fitted and confinedslidablybetween the fixed guides f and said slide-bar f is operated bythe cordsf f, attached to the shaft F. This shaft F is journaled insuitable bearings at or near the end of the table'H, and on one end ofthe shaft is a gear f which meshes with a pinion f of the shaft Fjournaled in a bracket on the table II and provided with a hand-crank ffor its operation by hand. The ends of the cord f are attached to andcoiled in one direction on the shaft F, and said cord f passes around aguide-sheave f journaled on the slide-barf at one end thereof, so thatwhen the shaft F is turned in one direction the cordf will be woundthereon to move the bar f and the pusher-head f toward the gate G. Theother operating-cord, f is attached to and coiled on the shaft F in thereverse direction to the coils of the cord f and said cord f is fastenedto the opposite end of the slide from the sheave f whereby the cord f ismade to draw the pusher-head f away from the gate Gr when the shaft F isturned in the reverse direction.

Projecting from the outer end of the table II are the side rails q q ofthe frame J, and to these rails are fastened the spaced bars q q. Onthese rails q are placed the removable rack Q, the length of whichexceeds the width of the table H and the bars of which are arranged tofit between the rails g. This rack isadapted to rest on the rails q,with its longitudinal bars fitting between the bars q and with its endbars bearing against the rails q, and the .rack can thus rest flush withthe table H, so that the cakes of soap may be shoved or adjusted on thebars of the rack Q. hen the rack is filled with cakes of soap, it'can belifted off the machine and carried to the drying-room, after whichanother rack may be placed on the machine.

The slab of soap, as it is forced by the pusher D from the elevator Bthrough the gate E and onto the table 0, is prevented from movingedgewise out of place and is properly directed to and through the gate Eby the employment of horizontal guide rails or bars R R, which arearranged on a level with or somewhat above the top of the table 0, andwhich bars or rails are spaced a suitable distance from each other toenable the top slab of soap to be raised by the elevator up to aposition between the rails, so that the soap slab is raised by theelevator in a position between the guide rails or bars and in line withthe pusher-head D and the gate E, whereby the pusher can force the soapslab through the gate E onto the table C.

The guide-rails are held in place by brackets S S, two of which areprovided for each rail, and these brackets are constructed in a suitableway to provide for the adjustment of the guide-rails toward or from eachother for the purpose of adapting the guide-rails to slabs of soap whichmay varyin width. The bracket S at one end of each guide-rail ispreferably in the shape of an angular plate, one end of which isfastened to the guide-rail and the other end of which is slotted and adjustably attached by a bolt or screw to one of the cross-rails of theframe J. he other bracket, S, is shown as of spider-like form, with ahead at one end for the attachment of the spider-shaped bracket to theguide-rail, and with slotted feet 3, which are adjustably fastened to anupright j of the frame J. It will be seen that the guide-rails can bebrought closer together or moved away from each other by properadjustment of the brackets S S, so as to vary the relative position ofthe guiderails according to the width of the soap slab.

It will be noted that the shafts M, D, and F are all arranged withinconvenient reach of the operator stationed at one side of the machine,in order that the operator may easily adjust the elevator or either ofthe pushers D or F without changing his position or going from one sideto another of the machine after the soap has been cut or dividedhorizontally into slabs by operating the shaft that forces the block ofsoap through the first or slab-cutting gate A.

This being the construction of my machine, the operation may bedescribed as follows: The soap block is placed in position opposite tothe gate A on the outside of the machine and the slabbing-block isadjusted against the outside of the block of soap. The windingshaft isrotated to draw on the pull-cables and the slabbing-block to force thesoap through the gate A, and during the passage of the soap blockthrough the gate it is cut or divided horizontally by the horizontalcutter-wires into slabs of appropriate thickness. The block of soap thuscut into slabs by the wires in the gate A is deposited on the elevatorB, after which the slab-block is released and the machine is now readyfor operation. The operator raises the elevator B until the top slab ofsoap is between the guide-rails R R and in line with the gate E and thepusher D, and the shaft D .is now operated to move the pusher D towardthe gate E, thus forcing the top slab of -soap through the gate onto thetable G, the vertical wires in the gate E cutting the slab into bars ofappropriate width, after which the shaft D is reversed to draw thepusher D back to a position over the gate A. The operator now rotatesthe shaft F to move the pnsher F toward the gate G, and said pusher Fforces the bars of soap over the table 0 and through the gate G, thevertieal wires in which cut the bars of soap into cakes or appropriatelength. The pusher F is now moved to its first position at one edge ofthe table by reversing the shaft F. The cakes of soap now rest on thetable II, and they are-propelled or shoved along the table by the impactof subsequent cakes or bars moved by the pusher Fthrough the gate G, andthe ofsoap may be moved onto the drying-rack or placed thereon by hand;The operator now raises the elevator until the second slab of soapisbrought between the guiderails R R and in line with the pusher D andgate E, when the operations are repeated, and so on, until all oftheslabs of soap on the elevator are cut by the gates E G into cakes.

A suitable detent may be provided for holding the elevator and its loadat the desired pos'ition, as,- fer instance, apawl-an d-ratehet deviceengaging with the shaft M. I

At the side or edge 'of the tables C H, op'pjosite from the elevator Band gate E, I provide the adjust-able gages T T, which have slottedflanges t, that are secured by bolts 13 to the tables in order that thegages may be adjusted according to the length of the bars of soap, saidgages also serving to prevent the soap from being shoved off the tables.

I am aware that changes and alterations in the form and proportion ofparts and in the details of construction of the devices herein shown anddescribed as the preferred embodimentor my invention may be made by askilled mechanic without departing from the spirit or sacrificing theadvantages thereof, and I therefore reserve the right to make suchmodifications as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-- V I. In a soap slabbing and cuttingmachine, the combination of a slabbing-gate provided with transversecutter-wires, a table, an elevator arranged between said slabbing-gateand the table, a second cutter-gate situated between the elevator andthe table, apusher operating over the elevator and toward or from thesecond gate, a third cutter-gate ar ranged at right angles to the secondcuttergate, and another pusher operating over the table toward or fromthe third cutter-gate, as and for the purposes described.

2. In a soap slabbing and cutting machine, the combination of aslabbing-gate provided with horizontal cutter-wires, an elevator in linewith said slabbing-gate, means for forc- 'bing-'gate and in parallelrelation therewith,

and provided with vertical cutter-wires, a slidable pusher guided overthe elevator and movable toward or from the second cuttergate, a thirdcutter-gate having vertical wires and arranged at one side of the tableandat right angles to the second cutter-gate, and a second slidablepusher guided to play across the table and toward or from the thirdcutterg'ate, as and for the purposes described.

3. In a soap slabbing and cutting machine, the combination of the tablesC, H, arranged in line with each other, a removable rack fitted flushwith the table H, a trail 'svers'ecutter gate arranged between thetables O, H, and having vertical wires, a pusher movable across thetable C toward or from said gate, a slabbing-gate, an elevator, anothergate between the elevator and the table C, and another. pusher movableover the elevator toward or from the last-named gate, for the purposesdescribed, substantially as set forth.

4. In a soap slabbing and cutting machine,

the combination of a slabbing-gate, an elevator, means for forcing soapthrough said slabbing-gate and upon the elevator, and a scraper arrangedrelatively to the slabbing-gate to remove refuse from the block of soapas it is passedthrough said gate, as and for the purposes described; p,5. In a soap slabbing and cutting machine, the combination with a tablea cutter-gate,and an elevator, of a slidable pusher suspended to travelover the elevator and comprising a fixed guideway which extends over thecuttergate, a slide-bar carrying the hanger and pusher-head, anoperating-shaft, and pullcords connecting with the pusher-bar and saidshaft, as and for the purposes described.

6. A soap slabbing and cutting machine comprising the tables 0, H, anelevator operated from a suitable shaft, and cutter-gates E, G, thepusher D guided to move across the elevator, toward or from the gate E,and operated from a shaft D, the pusher I1 guided to move across thetable 0, and operated from ashaft F; the devicesfor operating all ofsaid shafts l\' D and I being within con venient reach of an operatorstationed at one side of the machine, as and for the purposes described.

'7. In a soap cutting and slabbing machine,

the combination with a table, of an upper cutter-gate E situated at oneside, and substantially-on the plane, of said table, alower slab-cuttinggate A arranged in a plane below, and to one side of, said cutter-gateE, an elevator arranged for operation between said upper and lowercutter-gates, an overhead pusher sustained above said elevator andmovable toward or fromthe cutter-gate E, and guide-rails R attached tothe machine-frame substantially on the plane of the table and IIO 6aemse situated on opposite sides of the path of the elevator,substantially as and for the purposes described.

8. In a soap cutting and slabbing machine, the combination of the lowerand upper cutter-gates, A, E, situated in different horizontal andvertical planes, an elevator arranged for operation between saidcutter-gates, an overhead pusher supported above the elevator and guidedto travel in a path toward or from the upper cutter-gate E, thelaterally-adjustable guide-rails arranged on opposite sides of the pathof the elevator and substantially in line wit-l1 the upper cutter-gateE, and adj ustable brackets attached to the guide-rails and themachine-frame to support the guiderails in position to prevent edgewisedeflection of the soap slab as it is forced, by the pusher, through theupper cutter-gate, as and for the purposes described.

9. I11 a soap cutting and slabbing machine, the combination with asuitable frame, and a table thereon, 0f the upper and lower cutter-gatesA, E, situated in different vertical and horizontal planes and at oneside of said table, the vertical track-rails adjacent to saidcutter-gates, an elevator-platform arranged between said track-rails andprovided with guide-rollers which are fitted against said rails, anoverhead pusher supported above the elevator-platform and guided towardor from the upper cutter-gate, the overhead shafts M M having theguide-rollers, an operating-shaft M between said overhead shafts, thesuspension-pulleys attached to the elevator--p1atform, and thesuspending cords passing around the pulleys on the platform and theoverhead shafts and attached to the operating-shaft, as and for thepurposes described.

10. In a soap-machine, the table provided with a depressed seat lyingbelow the surface thereof, combined with a cutter-frame removably fittedin said seat and having its bottom bar flush with the surface of thetable, and the overhead retainer engaging with the upper part of thecutter-frame, for the purposes described, substantially as set forth.

1 1. In a soap-machine,the combination with a framing, and a tablehaving a depressed seat, of a removable cutter-frame fitted in said seatto have its bottom bar flush with the surface of the table, and anoverhead retainer-provided with a slotted shank and with a forked foot,said retainer-shank being slidably fastened to the framing in positionfor the forked foot to engage with the upper part of the cutter-frame,as and for the purposes described.

12. In a soap-machine,the combination with a table and a cutter-gate, ofa pusher mechanism for moving soap toward said gate comprising aguideway, a slidable bar fitted in said guideway and provided with aguide near one end, a pusher-head carried by the slidable bar, near itsother end, and arranged in the horizontal plane of the cutter-gate totravel toward or from the same, an operating-shaft, a pull-cord passingaround the guide on the slidable bar and having its ends coiled on theoperating-shaft, and another pull-cord attached to the slidable bar andcoiled on the operating-shaft in the reverse direction to the coils ofthe first-named cord, as and for the purposes described.

13. In a soap-machine, the combination of a table having a pushenreceiving slot, and a cutter-gate fitted to said table, of the pusherarmfitted in the slot of the table, a pusherhead attached to the upper endof the pusherarm and lying in the horizontal plane of the cutter-gate, aguideway arranged below said table and gate, a slidable bar attached atone end to the pusher-arm and provided, at its other end, with a guide,an operating-shaft, and two pull-cords coiled in reverse directions onthe operating-shaft, one cord attached to the slidable bar and the othercord passing around the guide on said bar, as and for the purposesdescribed.

14. Inasoap-machine,the combination with a cutter-gate, a slidablepusher guided to travel toward or from said cutter-gate, and means foroperating the pusher, ofa grooved face-block removably fitted to theslidable pusher-head, with its grooved side facing the 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

aww/wtoz MuoJ/r'zea I zmamil a' (No- Model.)

. R.AMES. TRANSPLANTING MACHINE.

Patented Sept. 8, 1896.

